<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Made of Stardust by boasamishipper</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732895">Made of Stardust</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/boasamishipper/pseuds/boasamishipper'>boasamishipper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Forged in the Stars [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Developing Relationships, Ensemble Cast, Espionage, F/F, F/M, Family, Final Battle, Finn-centric, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Happy Ending, Jedi Training (Star Wars), M/M, Mutiny, Politics, Space Battles, Stormtrooper Culture, Stormtrooper Rebellion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:55:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/boasamishipper/pseuds/boasamishipper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Six months after the events of The Stars Walk Backward, both sides struggle to maintain the upper hand. While Supreme Leader Kylo Ren continues to implement the Last Resort, Finn and Rey complete their Jedi training, old friends offer aid to the Resistance, and Poe, Rose, Slip, and Zeroes continue to spread the sparks of rebellion far and wide. With the future of the galaxy at stake, the final battle between the Resistance and the First Order begins.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>FN-2003 | Slip &amp; FN-2000 | Zeroes, FN-2003 | Slip/Rose Tico, Finn &amp; Poe Dameron, Finn &amp; Rey &amp; Luke Skywalker, Finn &amp; Rey (Star Wars), Finn/Rey (Star Wars), Karé Kun/Jessika Pava, Kaydel Ko Connix/Paige Tico, Lando Calrissian &amp; Jannah, Lando Calrissian &amp; Leia Organa &amp; Luke Skywalker, Paige Tico &amp; Rose Tico, Poe Dameron &amp; Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/FN-2000 | Zeroes, Rey &amp; Luke Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Forged in the Stars [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/844809</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanjiklubgottold/gifts">kanjiklubgottold</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...</p><p>EPISODE IX:<br/>MADE OF STARDUST</p><p>The war rages on. Low on manpower and weapons, the RESISTANCE struggles to maintain the upper hand over the FIRST ORDER, now ruled with an iron fist by SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN, who will stop at nothing for more power.</p><p>Meanwhile, the remains of the NEW REPUBLIC attempts to reconvene and join the fight, even as more and more planets begin to be overtaken by the sinister LAST RESORT.</p><p>GENERAL LEIA ORGANA has dispatched her best soldiers to gather intelligence, while REY SKYWALKER and FINN SOLBOURNE, the last hope of the Jedi, train with LUKE SKYWALKER for the final battle that looms ahead...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finn Solbourne is a Jedi, and the Jedi had many rules.</p><p>There were rules about peace and knowledge and serenity. There were rules about how and when to attack (only to protect and defend, never as an offense). There were rules about their respect for life, for the Force itself. Once, there were enough rules to outnumber the stars in the galaxy, enough rules to be crushed by. </p><p>But not anymore. After years of studying the Jedi texts on Ahch-To, Luke Skywalker came to the conclusion that the Jedi Order’s abundance of rules had brought on their downfall, and now the rules of the Jedi are far and few in between, more of a code than a strict requirement. The Jedi serve as a balance between the Light and the Dark Sides of the Force. Use the Force however you must to survive in battle, but delve too deeply and you will drown in darkness. Attachments aren’t a weakness; they’re a strength. There is no try, only do. Believe and you will succeed. The Force belongs to all. </p><p>Unfortunately for him, anyway. If the Force didn’t belong to all, he wouldn’t be running now.</p><p>The forest passes by him in a blur of green and brown, his boots pounding against the dirt as he urges himself to run even faster. Every breath burns his lungs, and his heart hammers against his ribs. He can tell he’s being followed, even if he can’t see his pursuer, and knows he can’t stop now.</p><p>He bursts into a clearing and grabs the staff slung over his back — just in time too, because a blur jumps out of the woods with a staff in hand and brings it down right on his head. He blocks the attack with his staff and strikes back, though his own attack is parried in the nick of time. They whirl around each other, striking and parrying, and whatever move Finn puts forward, it’s easily blocked. They’re evenly matched — too evenly matched. <em> Time to bring the Force into this. </em></p><p>Closing his eyes and reaching out to the pile of boulders in the distance, he yanks them forward, and they hurtle directly in front of his attacker — who jumps on one, then another, and then another, summoning a tree branch to her with the Force and throwing it at him like a javelin. He grabs it out of the air and swings it at her knees, sending her to the ground for the briefest of seconds before she jackknifes back up and swings her staff at him, whistling through the air—</p><p>
  <em> CRACK. </em>
</p><p>He’d swung at her at the same time, and both of their staffs break in half, the pieces falling to the ground with a surprisingly loud thud. For a moment, all either of them can do is stare. Then, quick as lightning, she summons the sharper end to her hand with the Force just as he grabs his own piece from the ground, and she tackles him, sending them both sprawling to the ground. She’s on top of him, her knees bracketing his hips, the sharp end pointed at his throat, and Finn’s got his own end pointed up at hers. It’s a stalemate.</p><p>The sound of slow applause makes their heads snap to the side, where Luke Skywalker himself is approaching them, 3PO and R2 at his side. “Well done,” he says, smiling. “Both of you. That’s a new record.”</p><p>R2 beeps, and 3PO glares down at him, looking about as scandalized as his metal face will allow. “Their battle deserves a higher rating than a five out of ten, R2,” the droid hisses. Finn has to laugh.</p><p>“No offense taken,” he says. “I bet he’s seen his fair share of more exciting ones than that.”</p><p>R2 beeps again as if to say <em> damn straight, </em>and Rey giggles as she pushes herself off Finn. She offers a hand to him once she’s standing, and he accepts it. Once he’s on his feet too, she pulls off the helmet that Luke insisted she wear, and he does the same, taking a long breath. Fresh air. Much better. “Nice thinking with the rocks,” she says, smiling. A breeze ruffles her short hair, and she tucks her choppy Padawan braid behind her ear. “You almost had me.”</p><p>“You almost had me with that tree branch back there,” he returns, grinning back. “Thought I was going to get shish kebabed.”</p><p>“That’d set a bad precedent, don’t you think?” Rey says, but she’s still smiling when she kisses him on the cheek. Just once, just briefly. Luke is nice enough to look the other way. Considering the amount of times he’s walked in on them in the last six months — in their room on base, in the Falcon, even in the forest here — even a kiss on the cheek is enough to make Rey’s father uncomfortable these days.</p><p>“It was an excellent match,” Luke says. R2 makes a noise that might be a scoff, and 3PO mutters a scandalized <em> honestly, R2 </em>under his breath. “You’ve improved at manipulating the Force around you, and at making do with…well, less exciting weapons,” he finishes.  Rey, who had wielded a staff for years on Jakku, purses her lips. “And making do with, perhaps, less exciting circumstances.”</p><p>Now it’s Finn’s turn to purse his lips. He exchanges a wordless look with Rey, who’s clearly thinking the same thing as him. He knows his Jedi training is important, and he likes the work. But while he and Rey have been sparring with nothing but staffs and shields and their wits, the Resistance has been hard at work battling the First Order face to face. Liberating work camps, gathering intel on the Last Resort, searching for more weapons for their ever-dwindling supply. <em> We could be out there fighting with Poe and the others, </em> he thinks bitterly, <em> if only Luke would trust us. </em></p><p>“It’s not a question of trust,” Luke says, like he’d read Finn’s mind. He probably had. “I trust you both implicitly. But I can’t risk you going out there, not with the inevitable battle on the horizon. Not when I have yet to teach you everything you need to know to face him.”</p><p>“Kylo Ren,” Rey says, her lip curled. Luke nods. “But how will we ever be ready to face him if you don’t let us go and fight in the real world? He won’t be facing us with wooden staff, Master.”</p><p>“No,” Luke agrees. “He’ll be facing you with his lightsaber.” A small smile crosses his face. “Just as you will face him with yours.”</p><p>Rey perks up. Finn grins. “Wait, do you mean—”</p><p>“Yes,” Luke says. “You will be able to craft your own, just as I once crafted mine. But only when the time is right.”</p><p>Rey’s shoulders slump. Finn’s grin vanishes. “But how will we know when the time is right?”</p><p>“You’ll know,” Luke says. “I promise.” His smile disappears too, replaced by something more serious. “Come on. Let’s go through this one more time. Helmets on.”</p><p>Finn puts a hand on Rey’s shoulder as they turn back to the forest, ready to run through the drill again. “Hey,” he says. “A little practice never killed anyone, right?”</p><p>Rey frowns. “I know,” she says. “But there’s got to be more we can do than just sit around. I’d give anything to be out there fighting now with the others.” </p><p>Finn sighs. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “Me too.”</p>
<hr/><p>Located on the edge of the Outer Rims, Kes Shiba is near empty of life but full to bursting with jungles: smooth-trunked trees with few branches, black and spongy earth obscured by tangles of vines with colorful blossoms. The sun’s hot and bright above them, and the air is heavy with moisture, and Poe gets the feeling that he’ll never really be dry here. </p><p>That’s alright. He can handle it. Black Squadron’s mission had come straight from General Organa herself: they’d arrived late last night and hiked through miles of jungle to reach the largest prisoner of war camp in First Order territory. Sequestered here are political prisoners, Troopers who’d attempted to defect, captured rebels, the whole nine yards. The area stretches out for miles, its borders protected by heavily armed Stormtroopers and fences humming with electricity and a powerful force field over their heads. And now they’ve got to get in and out with all the prisoners in one piece.</p><p>Poe peeks around the corner of the barracks once more before retreating just as fast. They’d stolen Stormtrooper armor to better infiltrate the place, and every time Poe catches a glimpse of himself decked out in beetle-shell white armor, he fights the urge to shiver. (Or he would if he weren’t so damned hot — his shirt is damp and stuck to the back of his neck from sweat.) He turns to the others and grins, even though they can’t see under the helmet. “I think we’re good to go.”</p><p>Slip, apparently, does not share his views. “I have a bad feeling about this.”</p><p>“Do you?” Zeroes says tersely. “Because you’ve only mentioned that <em> eleven times </em> since we got here.”</p><p>“And yet we’ve gotten through every bad feeling unscathed,” Poe says. “I think it’s just tradition for him to voice it at this point.”</p><p>He can almost hear Zeroes’s eye roll. Even so, the last six months have taught him enough about the former Stormtrooper that he’s pretty sure Zeroes is more nervous than he is actually irritated. “Think what you’d like, flyboy,” he says. Poe swears there’s a smile in his voice somewhere. “Are the others in position?”</p><p><em> “Yep,” </em> comes Rose’s voice through their comms. Poe pictures her in his mind’s eye: about a mile from the camp, her hair in a loose ponytail as she crouches over the EMP device she’d spent a month working on. Paige, Oddy, and L’ulo are with her, and Snap, Karé, and Pava are waiting for them in the Falcon. <em> “We’re all ready when you are, Black Leader.” </em></p><p>Poe exhales. “Yeah,” he says. “I’m ready. Let’s go for it.”</p><p>They walk in unison into the center of the camp, each step in sync. He had to practice for weeks just for this moment; according to Slip and Zeroes, Poe’s manner of walking, swinging his arms, even talking would give him away as a rebel in less than a second. Thus all the training that, thank the Force, seems to be paying off.</p><p>“Left foot <em> then </em>right,” Zeroes hisses, and Poe hastily follows suit. Casually, Slip breaks free of their group and swipes a device from a nearby Trooper’s belt.</p><p>They stop in the center of camp and gather together around the device. “Four buttons,” Slip says, and Poe is reminded of Rose’s lecture on the topic. “One to free the prisoners, one to send an alert to high command, one to shut off the force field, and one for the fence.”</p><p>Rose has the last two buttons taken care of with her EMP device, and a red alert is the last thing they need right now, so all they’ve got to do is figure out which one opens all the barrack doors. The ones that control the fence and force field are silver; the other two are gold, and utterly interchangeable. “Which one’s which?”</p><p>“Gotta be this one,” Zeroes says. “Less oil on the button, it’s never been touched.”</p><p>“What if it was designed specifically like that so no one would know which was which?” Slip whispers. “Maybe it’s this one.”</p><p>“We don’t have time to play the hypotheticals game, Slip, we gotta—”</p><p>“Hey!” All three of their heads snap up at the sight of a senior Trooper (decked out in silver armor instead of white) approaching, their arms crossed over their chest. “There are no junior personnel authorized in this squadron — what’re you doing, standing around? Where’s your section leader?”</p><p>“Right here,” Poe says brightly, and punches the officer in the face with all of the strength he has. The officer crumples to the ground, and Slip hits the gold button he’d been talking about earlier. There’s a loud screeching, scraping sound as all the metal doors slide up; one by one, prisoners start to poke their heads out of the barracks, bewildered yet hopeful all at once. “Rose, do it now!”</p><p>
  <em> “Working on it, hang on—” </em>
</p><p>“What do you mean you’re working on it?” Slip looks ready to swear as more Troopers start to charge at them, weapons in hand. Poe grabs his blaster out of his holster and shoots the Trooper in the front before they even reach him and the others; Zeroes and Slip quickly do the same. “Isn’t that thing solar-powered?”</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, it just needs to warm up, give it two seconds!” </em>
</p><p>Zeroes blows his stack. “Warm up?! The <em> sun </em>needs to warm up?!”</p><p>
  <em> “Yes, okay, it’s almost done, it’s — YES! Got it!” </em>
</p><p>A flash of white spreads across the sky, and for just a moment, the world bursts into a dazzling blue light. Poe’s ears pop and the hair on the back of his neck prickles; he shuts his eyes tight and locks his knees to keep himself upright. When he opens them, he’s treated to an impossible sight. More than half of the Troopers who were nearest to the fence on the ground, twitching or dead from electric shock. All of the prisoners spilling into the center of camp, out of the barracks that are now on fire. More Troopers spilling out from the edges of the area to meet them. The force field, gone, revealing a pure blue sky and a white-hot sun. But the fence is still humming with electricity. They’re trapped.</p><p>“Rose, we need the fence off too!”</p><p><em> “Uh,” </em> Rose says, which is not altogether a reassuring response. <em> “About that…” </em></p><p><em> “Apparently the fence was operating on a frequency that the EMP device was unable to reach,” </em> comes L’ulo’s voice, smooth and confident. If Poe listens closely, he can hear Paige and Oddy swearing like spice traders in the background. <em> “We are currently working on getting it down as well.” </em></p><p>“No,” Poe says, his mind racing. “That’s okay. Get to the rendezvous. We’ve got this.”</p><p>“Uh,” Slip says. Zeroes is occupied with blasting enemy Troopers away with his stolen Z6 Riot Control Baton; Slip’s got his back, so Poe tries not to look over at him too much. He’s got his own enemy combatants to worry about. “We do?”</p><p>“Yep,” Poe says. He switches comms frequencies and says, “Snap, we need a liftoff and fast.”</p><p>
  <em> “Roger that, Black Leader. We’re en route.” </em>
</p><p>With that, Poe tosses his spare blaster to the nearest prisoner — a tall Twi’lek man in his late fifties — and joins the fray. Luckily Rose’s attack took care of the strongest Troopers; the ones that are left aren’t as good, or maybe they’re just dealing with shell shock. None of them seem interested in throwing off their helmets and joining the rebel cause, like several Troopers had from the other camps that have been liberated; apparently Kes Shiban Troopers don’t know about the story of FN-2187 or the <em> Finalizer </em>revolt. Either that or, sadly, they just don’t give a shit.</p><p>Poe sweeps a little girl behind him and Zeroes blasters an enemy Trooper in the head right before they can attack Poe. Slip’s rounding up all of the prisoners now into the center of the camp, now that almost all of the enemy Troopers are dead or incapacitated. There are alarms shrieking, cutting through the air like knives, but Poe knows that whatever backup is in place will arrive long after they all get the hell out of dodge.</p><p>The Millennium Falcon sweeps into the clearing and swoops down, landing with a thud that sends Poe to his knees. It’s just large enough to fit in the circle of the camp without getting disabled by the still-electrocuted fence, and Poe thanks the Force for small miracles. He wrenches off his helmet and whistles. “Everyone inside, now!”</p><p>The prisoners don’t need to be told twice. They stampede into the ship, running as fast as they can from the remaining Troopers, and Poe, Zeroes, and Slip jump in after them. The ramp rises, and so does the ship — slowly, carefully. Not at all how Poe would fly, but Pava and Karé are the ones flying tonight.</p><p>“Poe!” Rose throws her arms around him once she gets close enough to him — not an easy task, seeing as the ship is crowded to the gills with people. There’s hardly any room to breathe, let alone move two inches one way or another. “I’m so sorry about that, I thought for sure the frequencies would be the same…”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Poe assures her. “The First Order wouldn’t be the First Order if they didn’t have a trick up their sleeves.”</p><p>“We’re lucky we’ve got someone as smart as you to outsmart them,” Slip says, blushing pink at the words and at the sight of Rose, who flushes at the compliment. Poe looks over at Paige, who gives a fond eye roll. A slightly hypocritical fond eye roll, considering the depth of Paige’s crush on Kaydel Ko Connix (which she still hasn’t acted on, much to the dismay of the betting pool), but a fond one nonetheless. Not that Poe can judge — Rose and Slip and Paige weren’t the only ones around here who were head over heels in love with someone but were too scared to act on it. </p><p><em> Still, </em> Poe thinks bitterly as Zeroes grants Rose one of his rare smiles and pats her on the back, congratulating her on a mission well done. <em> At least the odds are in their favor. He’s so far out of my league we might as well be on opposite ends of the Outer Rims.  </em></p><p>“Poe.” He looks up to see Snap approaching him, his expression grave. “We’ve got incoming.”</p><p>Twenty seconds later, Poe, Zeroes, Slip, Rose, Paige, Oddy, and L’ulo are in the cockpit with Karé, Pava, and Snap. Pava points at the recently-built radar screen, which shows enemy aircraft rapidly approaching. “We’ve gotta lose them before we head back to D’Qar,” Pava says. Her voice has a slight tremor, and Karé takes Pava’s hand, brings it to her mouth and kisses it. “Any ideas?”</p><p>“Just one,” Poe says. “Get down and share the gunner system. I’ll shake them off our tail.”</p><p>Slip frowns. “How? We’re going to be in empty space for at least fifty light-years.”</p><p>“I’ll take ‘em through the asteroid belt on the edge of the atmosphere before I push the ship into hyperspace,” Poe says. “Just like our training days, remember?”</p><p>Oddy goes slightly green. “Yes,” he says stiffly. “That is a flight path that I do not remember all that fondly, Poe. I think I threw up six times.”</p><p>“Then let’s make a new memory,” Poe says easily. “Everybody strap in, and tell the prisoners to grab hold of something.”</p><p>The cockpit empties half capacity, leaving Poe alone with Slip, Zeroes, Rose, and Paige, who have all obediently strapped themselves in. Poe pulls the controls back sharply, and the ship ascends from the jungle just as more enemy ships hurtle towards them. The sky goes bluer and bluer before going inky black as they exit the atmosphere. He can see the greyish asteroids already.</p><p>Despite everything, Poe grins. “I’ve always wanted to fly this thing.”</p>
<hr/><p>When Maz Kanata told her after the Battle of Starkiller Base that Takodana would be rebuilt within the month, Leia had privately thought the older alien was crazy. But now more than six months have passed, and Maz’s castle looks like it has been standing on the planet for hundreds of years. There’s virtually no indication that the place had been destroyed at all (except maybe the newness of the furniture) and all in all, Leia’s happy Maz was able to rebuild so fast. Not only because Maz is her friend, but because her castle is the perfect place for a war council to meet — or for Artorian refugees to gather.</p><p>“I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for my people,” Velle Amaty Solbourne tells Maz, who waves off the thanks like a bad smell. Ffion Lapara, the former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Senior Senator and Finn’s godmother, nods enthusiastically. “We will find some way to repay you in time.”</p><p>“Ah, payment, that elusive thing,” Maz says with a smile. “Consider my help free, my dear child, as long as we eventually win this bloody war.” She sits down at the table with Leia, Lieutenant Connix, and Chewie, all of whom had chosen to accompany Velle and Ffion to greet the refugees and gather more information about the horrible Last Resort. “And how are your plans coming along, General?”</p><p>“They’re coming along,” Leia says. “Commander Dameron’s returning with the prisoners from Kes Shiba, Cobalt Squadron’s gathering intel again, and Luke’s been training Finn and Rey nonstop.” She rests her chin in her hands and gives a sigh. “What we really need is more manpower, more weapons. More time in the day. I cannot ask my best soldiers to be everywhere at once.”</p><p>“Weapons we can manage without. Until we get more manpower, we’re stuck,” Velle says glumly. “We can’t do more than go on the defensive, and we can’t liberate any of the planets directly affected by the First Order’s Last Resort.”</p><p>Chewie groans an affirmative, and Maz pats him on the hand. It’s actually rather sweet to see them together — even if Leia knows that Han would be pretending to retch if he were here to witness this display. Pushing aside her near-permanent heartache, Leia says, “We need your assistance, Maz. What do you think the next step for us should be?”</p><p>Before Maz can speak, the door swings open, revealing a cloaked, shadowy figure. On the shorter size, lean and lithe, but no less dangerous, as evidenced by the energy bow strapped to their back. Leia can’t see the person’s face; they’re wearing a rust-colored helmet that reminds Leia of the time she impersonated the bounty hunter Boushh on Tatooine.</p><p>The person comes to a halt right in front of Leia’s table. Ffion reaches for her pistol and Kaydel reaches for her knife, but Leia puts up a hand. Whatever this is — whatever this person wants, she can handle it. And if not, well, there’s a reason that she’d taken the other seat next to Chewie. How had that saying gone, the one that Wedge Antilles had come up with? <em> Never fuck with a rebel or an angry Wookiee. </em></p><p>Leia stands up slowly. The person before her is only a few inches taller than her; she’s pleased that she doesn’t have to crane her neck too much. “What do you want?”</p><p>“General Organa,” the person says. Their voice is low, almost mechanical-sounding; clearly it is being distorted by the helmet. “Years ago, you served with my father in the Galactic Civil War. Now, he begs you to forgive him for his inaction in this most desperate hour, and offers his full cooperation and aid to the Resistance in your time of need.”</p><p>Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Ffion and Velle exchange confused looks. Leia just arches her eyebrows. “What sort of aid does he have in mind?”</p><p>“Weapons.” The person shrugs one shoulder. Leia can almost imagine the crooked smile curving their mouth beneath the helmet. “Ships. Manpower. Intel. The usual.”</p><p>Leia tries not to smile. “And is that the end of his message?”</p><p>“It isn’t,” the person says. “But something tells me that you’re tired of the <em> Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope </em>jokes by now.”</p><p>“That I am.” Leia doesn’t hold back her smile now. “It’s good to see you again, Jannah.”</p><p>Jannah Calrissian-Aboderin takes off her helmet and casts back her hood, revealing a mess of dark curls, bright eyes, and a mischievous grin. “Hello, Auntie Leia,” she says. “It’s good to see you too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A note, before we continue:</p><p>I have not seen, nor do I plan on seeing, The Rise of Skywalker. Just like with Rose and Paige’s characters in this series, I have taken liberties with Jannah's characterization, and given her another backstory as Lando’s daughter. Any resemblance to the plot, settings, or dialogue featured in TROS is entirely coincidental.</p><p>Anyways: to my new readers, welcome! To my old readers, welcome back! We’ve got a big storm coming, and I’m so excited to finally get to share this fic with you all.</p><p>Stay tuned for Chapter II, in which Kylo Ren travels to Artorias, Finn and Rey touch base with Black Squadron, and Leia reunites with an old friend. And someone dies.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kylo Ren is impressed.</p><p>‘Impressed’ is not a feeling to which he’s accustomed, especially not since he’d become the Supreme Leader and had to weed out every unsatisfactory thorn in the First Order, but after an hour on Artorias, he has to admit that picking this planet as the test case for the Last Resort had been an inspired move. And he is impressed with the work that Collem Ryzka and Kavi Monna have done in just six short months.</p><p>Where the streets of Galfridian City once boasted numerous stalls and storefronts and bustling life, all has been replaced with an eerie quiet. A huge banner with the seal of the First Order hangs off the roof of Nsubuga City Hall (now renamed Ryzka City Hall), and the statue in the plaza of the two Twi’leks holding hands has been torn down. Stormtroopers, their armor a shining and pristine white, march on the cleanly swept cobblestones. In the spot where the tribute of the Morning Massacre once stood are a line of new constructions, straight from the First Order factories: an official whipping post, several stockades, and a gallows. And best of all, all rebels (all those against the First Order, for Senator Velle Amaty Solbourne, or public nuisances) have been sent to labor in the fields, in fenced-off work camps. As he walks down the streets with Ryzka and Monna and his guards, where people run to get out of their way, Kylo Ren almost smiles at the thrill of it all.</p><p>“We’ve accomplished so much in so short a time,” Ryzka tells Kylo Ren proudly, and Kylo Ren frowns. It’s one thing to think that, and quite another to hear it. The last thing he wants is to encourage <em> pride </em>among his pawns. “Loyalists are almost all that remain, Supreme Leader. Approximately twenty percent of the city are in the camps, and we are working on culling the countryside day by day.”</p><p>“With luck,” Monna says, also proudly, “we will have culled all those against the Order in another six months’ time.”</p><p>“With luck,” Kylo Ren says sharply, “you will not <em> need </em>luck. Not if you want to keep on the good side of your patrons.”</p><p>Monna inclines his head apologetically. This one, at least, knows when to back down. “Of course, Supreme Leader.”</p><p>Ryzka, however, is not as wise as his chief of staff. Kylo Ren can see from the look in his eyes, the way his hands twitch at his side, even from his bearing, that he is drunk on power — the kind of power-drunk that believes he can never be satisfied. Unluckily for him, he must be satisfied with the crumbs he has been given. That is, if he wants to live. “Supreme Leader, I must wonder your goals here. Dealing a blow to the Resistance and the remains of the New Republic is all well and good, a goal I am happy to support. But I must say: you promised me power, and I’ve yet to see the benefits of ruling a population so meek and worthless.”</p><p>Kylo Ren smiles. “And afraid of <em> me,” </em>he finishes, his voice practically a purr. “When you believe they should be afraid of you. Is that correct, Senator?”</p><p>Ryzka shakes his head quickly. “You misunderstand, Supreme Leader—”</p><p>His words come to an abrupt, choking halt — not just from the Force cutting off his airway and lifting him an inch into the air, just enough so the toes of his shoes scrape the floor, but from the fact that Kylo Ren has cast aside his helmet. Monna has gone a vague green at the sight, swaying slightly. Ryzka’s eyes look ready to escape their sockets, his mouth open in a silent scream.</p><p>And why should they not look frightened? Kylo Ren knows how he looks now. He takes pride in it, in what the Dark Side has done for him. His skin is a waxen, spectre-pale white: the only color comes from the scar that he has refused to heal. His hair, once dark and long, has been sheared; the color has begun to drain from it, seeping away as though drained by a leech. And his eyes, once brown, are a dark, piercing yellow — showing everyone the power of the Dark Side that he possesses.</p><p>“You misunderstand, Senator,” Kylo Ren says calmly, even as Ryzka gasps for air. “I do not make mistakes. And the power you possess — the power you love so much — is solely because <em> I </em> granted it to you. Because <em> I </em>let you live and wield it, even though I should have stricken your head from its shoulders for your failure to apprehend FN-2187 and his mother. You live now on my time. Am I clear?”</p><p>Ryzka nods frantically. Satisfied, Kylo Ren releases him, where he falls to his knees, gasping for air.</p><p>“Excellent,” Kylo Ren says, and replaces his helmet. “I’m pleased we’re on the same page.”</p><hr/><p>“The Falcon has returned!”</p><p>Finn would have figured that out even without C-3PO shouting it to everyone on the tarmac, but he’s too happy to see the others again to tease the protocol droid. Rey’s already running through the crowd, and by the time Finn catches up to her, she’s staring at the side of the ship, horrorstruck. When he sees the scratches and slashes and the parts that are still smoking, Finn can’t blame her, nor can he blame Poe for the sheepish smile he gives Rey.</p><p>“Poe, what <em> happened?” </em></p><p>“We had the First Order on our tail coming off Kes Shiba,” Poe says, palming the back of his neck awkwardly. “So…I may have taken a shortcut through an asteroid belt to get us away from them.” </p><p>Rey’s eyes go wide. “Did you beat the Kessel Run record?”</p><p>“Nah,” Rose says. Her face is damp with sweat as she reties her ponytail. “But he came close.”</p><p>“And I almost pissed myself at least twice,” Slip finishes. Finn gives his friend a one-armed hug, and then gives one to Zeroes, who’s watching the conservation with a half-smile on his face while Paige, Karé, Pava, and the others help the former prisoners off the ship. “But we all lived to tell the tale.”</p><p>“The ship’s going to need some work,” Rey says. Finn can practically see her mind calculating the damage at lightning speed. “Rose, have we got any spare drive units or armor plating?”</p><p>“You read my mind,” Rose says, and high-fives Rey. “I’m all yours once I get the smell of Kes Shiban jungles off of me.”</p><p>Rey laughs. “Sounds like a plan.”</p><p>“Speaking of living to tell the tale,” Poe says, bumping Finn’s shoulder playfully with his own, “how’s the Jedi training going, Mr. Big Deal?”</p><p>“That’s Jedi Big Deal to you,” Finn shoots back, but he’s grinning too. “Pretty good, actually. Master Skywalker says we’ll be ready to craft our own lightsabers soon, but in the meantime, we’ve been practicing with staffs and blasters.”</p><p>“He wants us ready for anything,” Rey says. Her smile fades into a frown. “I just wish we could be out there helping you fight the First Order.”</p><p>“You’re helping us just fine by training with Skywalker here,” Zeroes points out. Poe, Slip, and Rose nod. “You’re the two best fighters the Resistance has; we’ll tag you in when shit really gets real.”</p><p>“If Luke lets us go with you when that happens, that’d be great,” Rey says. Poe laughs.</p><p>“Hey, if you fix up the Falcon before General Organa notices, I’ll stow you both away and take you to the front lines with us.”</p><p>Now it’s Finn’s turn to laugh. He slings an arm over Poe’s shoulders as the six of them follow the former prisoners into the main building. “I’ll hold you to that.”</p><hr/><p>Bespin’s a short flight away from Takodana, and in Jannah’s ship — a fancy but inconspicuous-looking quad-jumper — they make it to Cloud City in half the time. Leia stays in the cockpit for most of the ride, watching the clouds go by and trying not to think about her first trip to the city, about how much was at stake. About how much is at stake now.</p><p>Velle stays beside Leia as they disembark the craft, Ffion, Maz, and Chewie behind them. Jannah takes the lead, weaving through the hallways of the main administrative building like she knows them like the back of her hand. Given that she was born and raised here among the clouds, Leia has no doubt she actually does. <em> Force, how she’s grown. </em>It feels like just yesterday her niece had been a little girl, playing tag with Ben and her cousins, and—</p><p>Leia shuts down that thought before it can get far. No sense dwelling on the pain of the past. She has to look toward the future now.</p><p>Waiting for them in the main room is a very familiar man, standing upright while leaning heavily on a gold-tipped cane. He wears dark pants, sturdy-looking boots, and a shirt the same gold as his cane; a blue cloak is slung over his shoulders. His expression is solemn, but when he meets Leia’s eyes, his mouth curves into an even more familiar smile. “Hello, Leia,” he says. “It’s been a long time.”</p><p>Smiling, Leia embraces him. “Hello, you old scoundrel.”</p><p>Lando laughs. “Emphasis on the <em> old, </em>I think,” he says, a twinkle in his eyes belying the seriousness of his tone. “I hope my daughter didn’t frighten you too badly on Takodana.”</p><p>“I knew nothing could scare Auntie Leia,” Jannah says, mock-haughty. “But just in case, I was friendly to a fault.”</p><p>Chewie groans, and Lando laughs again. “Hey, hanging around everyone here would make me ready for a fight under any circumstances too, pal.” His smile fades as he turns back to Leia. “I’m sorry about Han.”</p><p>Leia blinks back tears. “Thank you,” she says. “I’m sorry about David.”</p><p>Lando touches the golden wedding band hanging from a chain around his neck, blinking back some tears of his own. His other hand tightens on his cane; Jannah puts her hand on top of his. “Thank you,” he says, his voice a rasp. He clears his throat. To Velle and Ffion, he says, “Senator Solbourne, Madam Lapara. An honor to meet you both in person.”</p><p>“You as well, Senator Calrissian,” Velle says, curtsying. The four of them had all met over New Republic holocalls, back during the days where Senate meetings had been so important and the First Order was merely a blip in everyone’s radar. Leia’s pretty sure this is the first time three senators (and a deputy chief of staff, counting Ffion) from different planets have been in the same room together since the destruction of the Hosnian System. “You said you had information for the Resistance?”</p><p>“I do,” Lando says. “And I’ll be happy to share it. Please sit.”</p><p>They take seats around the conference table, Chewie standing by the door with his crossbow at the ready. (Old habits die hard, after all.) Lando laces his hands together and sits up straight, his gaze moving to each of them in turn. “The fight has found us again,” he says. “I…I regret that I haven’t been able to fight alongside you. I wanted to. But after the Hosnian System was destroyed, after my husband was killed…I needed to retreat from public life to grieve.”</p><p>“We both did,” Jannah says, quiet but firm. Tears are in her eyes as well. “And we’re sorry for it.”</p><p>“I understand,” Leia says. Only the duties of her job had kept her from bowing out of the fight because of her grief; Lando and Jannah had lost a husband and a father, respectively, in David Aboderin. She understands their perspectives all too well. “But you’re with us now?”</p><p>“I am,” Lando says.</p><p><em> “We </em>are,” Jannah cuts in. “Our people are ready to mobilize, and Lobot’s been prepping the armories for the Resistance to use. And…” She exchanges a serious look with her father. “We’ve gathered information from our contacts across the galaxy about the expansion of the Last Resort.”</p><p>Velle’s hands spasm for a moment. Ffion pales. “Expansion,” she says unevenly. “How much of an expansion are they thinking?”</p><p>“You’re aware they’ve taken over Artorias,” Lando says gently. Velle nods once, tight. As he speaks, a hologram of the galaxy comes up in the center of the table, pinpricks of bright blue light pointing out the planets affected. “And over the last six months, Kylo Ren has considered Ithaka, Mircalla, Veriyar, and Iywei — planets already under the First Order’s control. But our contacts have told us that Kylo Ren plans to attack the New Republic planets next, in an outright attempt to take control of the fractured government.”</p><p>“Does Chancellor Renni know?” Velle asks.</p><p>“I’ve spoken to her about it,” Lando says. “But she can’t do anything without the approval of the Senate — and none of the remaining Senators want to be the one to call a gathering, not with their own problems to deal with.”</p><p>“The galaxy’s problems <em> are </em> their problems,” Leia says. She can practically hear her father warning her about her tone, the same way he did when she was a teenager. How time flies, and how politics still irk her to death. “Whether they want to believe it or not.”</p><p>“I agree,” Velle says. “So maybe it’s time to convince them of that.”</p><p>Leia stares at her. “How do you mean?”</p><p>“We need manpower and weapons,” Velle says. “Even with the Hosnian System gone, the New Republic outnumbers the First Order about ten to one. If we got them to back the Resistance, it could turn the tides in our favor.”</p><p>“They’ve made their opinion on the fight very clear,” Ffion says, frowning. “I don’t know how we could convince them when Leia failed in the past.”</p><p>“That was before they were directly affected,” Lando says, his eyes clear in understanding. “Opinions tend to change once they’ve got skin in the game, Madam Lapara. I should know.”</p><p>“And they definitely want this damn war over as much as we do,” Jannah says. A slow smile spreads across her face. “It’s the last card we’ve got, Auntie Leia. Otherwise we’ll be spending years doing reconnaissance while they pick us off like flies and put more and more planets under their rule.”</p><p>Leia breathes out. “I don’t want to put all my hopes on this,” she says slowly. Everyone’s eyes are on her, and everyone straightens up in their seats when she gives a firm nod. “But you’re right. All of you are. We need the New Republic on our side to turn the tides, to help us free the planets affected by the Last Resort — so let’s get to work on convincing them.”</p><p>“We’ll need the others from D’Qar to be aware of this,” Velle points out, and Leia nods.</p><p>“Chewie,” she says. The Wookiee’s attention immediately snaps to her. “Get Maz to send a message to our allies, back home and abroad. It’s time for another war council.”</p><hr/><p>Phasma waits.</p><p>She’s good at that by now. Half of being a Stormtrooper is just waiting — waiting for orders, waiting for Orders, waiting for assignments and targets and battles and battlepreps alike. She keeps her expression steady and calm behind her chrome-plated helmet, her arms at her sides, her weapon holstered, as Hux paces around his office, sweating and shouting in a towering rage, and waits for him to get to the point.</p><p>“Hundreds gone from Kes Shiba, twenty whole squadrons missing from Dantooine after the rebels’ latest raid, and everywhere we go, no matter the propaganda, no matter the message,<em> their </em> message persists. ‘FN-2187 was a Stormtrooper, and you can defect too, because it’s the right thing to do! Look at FN-2003, FN-2000, FN-2187, they did it, you can do it too!’” His voice has gone high and squeaky, and he slams his hand down on the desk hard enough that the metal almost cracks. “We <em> must </em> kill this rebellion, Captain. Carve it out like a cancer.”</p><p>A slow, steady breath. “I believe that the pervasive propaganda is quite enough, General,” she says, in a voice that is not quite belligerent, but too icy to be subservient. “Every Stormtrooper I have come across believes what they are told.” <em> Though what they are told is quite another thing, I suppose. </em></p><p>Hux seems to be thinking the same thing, because he snaps, “Yes, but the problem lies in what exactly they are <em> being told, </em>Captain. The stories go around despite our best efforts to squash them, and those who tell them.”</p><p><em> All Stormtroopers own are stories, sir, </em>she almost says, but bites her tongue. She’s good at that by now too.</p><p>“We must make an <em> example </em>out of these dissidents, these turncoats and traitors to be,” Hux is saying. “Ren has been up my arse about it since he took high command, and I want him off the subject, Captain. So what must be done, must be done. An example must be made.”</p><p>She blinks. “An example, General?”</p><p>“Yes,” Hux says. The prospect of a solution must have calmed him down, because he looks less like a possessed, red-faced husk and more like a man. The fire in his eyes is back. “You will order the termination of those in the Young Cadets program, Captain. They must be made an example of, for the greater good of the First Order.”</p><p>Her heart does something strange in her chest. “The Young Cadets,” she repeats.</p><p>“Yes, Captain. The Young Cadets.”</p><p>“Have there been rumors of dissidence among them?” Phasma struggles to remember if she’s heard anything or seen anything, but nothing comes to mind. The Young Cadets are all stationed in the Outer Rims; they have not seen even the barest whisper of combat. The youngest of them is but five rotations, the eldest fourteen. When she’d last visited, they’d been model Troopers, all of them. She’s sure they don’t even know who FN-2187 is.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter if there have or haven’t been rumors,” Hux says, with the exhaustedly patronizing air of someone explaining how blaster safety works for the hundredth time. “As I said, an example must be made to teach the current Troopers a lesson about what happens when you attempt to defect the cause. When you believe the unbelievable, an unbelievable punishment must be given.”</p><p>“There are over three million Young Cadets,” she says, as evenly as she can manage. Her hands tremble at her sides. “Three million, seven hundred thousand, two hundred and seventy future Troopers who have not heard hide nor hair of FN-2187.”</p><p>“A lesson <em> must be taught.” </em></p><p>“You’ve already purged all non-humans from higher command and instituted stricter corporal punishment, what more can—”</p><p>“Silence.”</p><p>“—what more can be done? There are other ways of making an example, General, such as considering—”</p><p>“I said <em> silence!” </em> Hux smacks the table again to punctuate the word, looking quite mad. “This is not a suggestion, Captain, nor an opportunity for you to critique. This is what must be done to win the war. This is an <em> Order </em> for you to carry out, Captain Phasma.” He stalks closer until he’s right in her helmet, practically spitting with fury. “So <em> carry. It. Out.” </em></p><p><em> There are orders, </em> Phasma thinks, the words rote by now. <em> And then there are Orders. </em></p><p>
  <em> But what I am to do when I no longer respect who gives them? </em>
</p><p>“Did you not hear me, Captain?” Hux hisses. “Think of your loyal troops and execute the damned Order this instant or <em> so help me, </em>I will find someone who can!”</p><p>“Of course, sir,” Phasma says, and shoots him in the head.</p><p>The body seems to take no time at all and an eternity to fall to the floor. All she can do is stare: her mouth dry, her heart pounding, her blood boiling. For her entire life, she has done what has always needed to be done, carried out orders and Orders without a moment of hesitation or doubt. And now the body of her commanding officer lies cooling on the floor at her boots — because of the choice she made to kill him.</p><p><em> There’s always a choice, </em> Phasma remembers a young Trooper screaming, just before Hux had him executed. One does not attend hundreds of executions for the same crime over six months without paying attention to what is being said. She always pays attention. <em> Always. There is always a choice. Choose the right thing to do. </em></p><p>She is Phasma. She is a Stormtrooper. She is a soldier.</p><p>Maybe, at long last, she can choose which side she wants to fight on.</p><p>
  <em> Just like Finn. </em>
</p><p>She presses the button on her commslink bracelet, the one that connects to the navigation box on her private X-Wing. With her other hand, she takes off her helmet and tucks it under her arm. Takes a long breath and lets it out slowly, and then again, until her expression is as inscrutable as the helmet she’s worn as long as she can remember. “Navigation box 626,” she says, and clears her throat. “Set course to D’Qar.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Lando’s late husband, David Aboderin, is entirely of my own creation. For those interested, David was a rebel during the Galactic Civil War and the co-senator of Bespin until his untimely death due to the destruction of the Hosnian System. He and Lando met a couple of years after the Battle of Endor, and fell in love over an adventure involving trade disputes, space pirates and sightseeing on Naboo. David Aboderin’s fancast is John Kani. (Jannah Calrissian-Aboderin, their only child, is the current administrator of Cloud City, the position Lando held in Episode V.)</p><p>Stay tuned for Chapter III, in which the Resistance holds the war council to end all war councils, Kylo Ren plans ahead, Finn and Rey prepare for a mission of their own, and Captain Phasma surrenders on D’Qar.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After more than six months in the Resistance, Finn figures he should be used to war councils by now: attending them, speaking at them, you name it. But even though this one is structured like all the others, like a gigantic strategy session with all the higher-ups in attendance (and some new faces), there’s a distinct feeling of determination in the air — not the kind that comes in the face of impossible odds, but the kind that means the odds could shift in their favor. It’s as invigorating as a cool breeze in the middle of the Sinking Fields of Jakku.</p><p>Rey’s by his side, studying the hologram maps like she’ll be tested on it later; to her left is Luke, and to Finn’s other side are his mother and Ffion, and Leia, who stands at the head of the table, looking as determined as she always does for these things. The table is crowded tonight with the usual suspects: Poe and Black Squadron, Slip and Zeroes, Rose and Paige and Kaydel Ko Connix, Chewie and Maz, a handful of high-ranking officers including Admiral Statura and Major Ematt — and new to the Resistance, Bespin Senator (and war hero) Lando Calrissian and his daughter Jannah, who Finn can’t help but like already.</p><p>Leia signals for attention, and the room falls silent.</p><p>“Our battle against the First Order has gone on for far too long,” she says. “For months, we have gone on the defensive, hidden in the shadows instead of fighting out in the open.” She meets their gazes, one by one. “I am here to tell you now, the time for our attack has come.”</p><p>This causes a stir. Finn exchanges a questioning look with Rey, and then with Poe, a silent: <em> did you know about this? </em>Poe’s shrug and expression indicates he had no idea. Velle, on the other hand, doesn’t even flinch, and steps forward to speak next.</p><p>“General Organa, Madam Lapara, and Senator Calrissian and I have come to the conclusion,” she says, “that I’m sure many of us have as well: that what the Resistance needs, more than weapons, more than hours in the day, is more manpower. We would not have gotten this far without the bravery of our soldiers, Resistance and former Stormtroopers alike.” Slip and Zeroes both nod in recognition, and Finn finds himself nodding too. “But we have come to the decision to reach out to the remains of the New Republic.”</p><p>“The New Republic?” Poe says, before Finn can. “All due respect, Madam Solbourne, but they weren’t that willing to help us fight even before the Hosnian System got destroyed.”</p><p>“Things have changed since then, Commander Dameron,” Ffion says. “People get more interested in a fight once they’ve been directly affected.”</p><p>“Chancellor Renni’s bound to hear us out,” Lando says. “Whether the Senate will follow suit and join the fight with the fleet they’ll have is another thing entirely. But we can get in front of them and ask them to join the cause.”</p><p>“Ask them?” Jannah says, pointed, and Lando rolls his eyes, mostly affectionate.</p><p>“Tell them,” he says. “Implore them. Impress upon them the importance of joining the fight.”</p><p>“There we go,” Jannah says, and Lando and Leia both smile.</p><p>“The Resistance must gather its allies if we are to prevail,” Maz says, somewhere between thoughtful and omniscient, like she already has an idea of how this could go and isn’t sure how to feel about it. “Appealing to the New Republic is our last chance to destroy the First Order.”</p><p>“Not our last chance,” Finn says, before he can stop himself. Everybody looks his way, and even though he knows he’s — well, for lack of a better word, a <em> Big Deal </em>in the Resistance now, all of this attention fits him like an itchy sweater. “I mean, the plan to ask the New Republic for help, it’s got merit, and it’ll really help if we can get more people on our side. But what’ll really destroy the First Order is if we can take them down from the inside. If we can appeal to the Troopers that are still there.”</p><p>“You want to incite another rebellion,” Zeroes says flatly, but there’s a glimmer in his eyes that suggests he’s impressed. “You know how long it took us to get ours off the ground, Finn? We barely escaped the <em> Finalizer </em>with our lives. And that was just on one ship.”</p><p>“I’m not talking about just one ship.”</p><p>“Oh,” Poe says, excited, as another ripple goes through the crowd. “I like this idea already.”</p><p>“You think there’s a way to incite another Stormtrooper rebellion,” Rey says, almost incredulous, “but everywhere in the First Order at once?”</p><p>“It’s possible,” Finn says. Now that the words are out, he’s really getting into this idea. “There are millions of Troopers still in the First Order. Each base does their schedule and training a little differently, but they keep the propaganda intake exactly the same on every base in the galaxy. The Morning Speeches, Afternoon Speeches, Night Speeches. And they’re all broadcast at the same time, from the exact same place.”</p><p>“The <em> Messenger,” </em>Slip says, and Finn nods. </p><p>“Oldest ship in the fleet,” Zeroes adds, for the benefit of the non-Troopers in the room. “Most boring place in the fleet to be stationed, but they run it like a maxsec prison.”</p><p>Rey is the first to catch on. “So if you craft the right message,” she says. “About your stories, and the Resistance, and you sneak this message through their security, it’ll be broadcast at the exact same time, from the exact same place, to every base in the First Order.”</p><p>“To every Stormtrooper in the First Order,” Finn says, grinning.</p><p>“It might not get all of them on our side,” Poe says, “but it’ll <em> definitely </em>distract the First Order long enough for us to team up with the New Republic and blast them out of the sky. I’m all for it. What about you, General?”</p><p>All eyes turn to Leia, who hesitates for the briefest of moments before giving a decisive nod. “I approve of this plan as well,” she says. “Commander Dameron, I’ll put you and Black Squadron on this.” Her eyes twinkle. “Something tells me we’ll need a little daring to get this done.”</p><p>“Black Squadron’s got that in spades, ma’am,” Poe says with a wink. Rey and Leia roll their eyes at the same time. “You guys in?”</p><p>Karé and Pava and Snap and Paige quickly confirm they’re in, and Zeroes says, “You know, Dameron, you’re going to need Troopers with the lay of the land if you want to pull this off.”</p><p>“Right,” Poe says, a little breathless. “I…are you in? Slip, what about you?”</p><p>“We’re in,” Slip says, grinning at Zeroes. “And, uh. We’ll probably need a codebreaker too. Just in case we have to override things manually.”</p><p>“Good thing we know a damn good one,” Poe says, and Rose blushes before she says she’s in too. Finn looks between Slip and Rose and Poe and Zeroes, how they’re all blushing and determined to avoid eye contact with one another, and hopes they’ll be able to work together without any major relationship catastrophes (and finally <em> talk to each other, </em>for Force’s sake, because the betting pool’s growing bigger by the second).</p><p>“We’re in too,” Rey says, determined. Finn nods in agreement. “You’ll need all the help you can get.”</p><p>“No,” Luke says, and Finn startles. Even though he’d been standing next to Rey this whole time, Finn had almost forgotten the Jedi Master was in the room at all. “I’m not saying that this isn’t the right thing to do, or that they don’t need your help,” he says, as it looks like Rey had been about to accuse him of just that. “I’m saying…it’s time for the Resistance to go on the offensive, but it’s also time for you to complete a mission of your own.”</p><p>Finn’s insides freeze, followed by the rest of him. Rey blinks. “You mean—”</p><p>“Yes,” Luke says. His hand goes to the lightsaber holstered at his side; his gaze is faraway. “I said I’d take you when the time was right, and the time is finally right for you two to go to Ilum and craft your lightsabers.”</p><p>“Will it be safe for them to leave this planet?” Velle says, a worried crease forming between her brows. “Is it safe for them to go to Ilum at all?”</p><p>“No harm will come to them as long as I draw air,” Luke promises. At Finn and Rey’s twin looks of surprise, he says, “I’m going with you both, of course. I wasn’t going to send you to the Crystal Cave with a map and a wish of luck.”</p><p>“You really think we’re ready?” Rey says, and then goes red, like she didn’t mean to say that at all. Finn takes her hand in his. “Crafting our own lightsabers, that’s…”</p><p>“The last step before becoming a full-fledged Jedi,” Luke finishes. “And yes. You’re both ready. I’ve never been more sure of anything.”</p><p>Finn thinks about Kylo Ren, how that’s the real fight that’s waiting for them at the end of this, and hopes Luke’s sureness extends to him and Rey defeating Ren too.</p><p>Silence reigns for several heartbeats before Leia speaks again. “Then it’s settled,” she says, serious but firm. “We will contact the New Republic, and convince them to join the fight. Meanwhile, Commander Dameron will lead a team to the <em> Messenger, </em>and spark chaos and a potential mass defection among the Stormtroopers.”</p><p>“We can broadcast the message to the planets under the First Order’s control,” Slip says, burning red at Leia’s expression. The general, rightfully so, does not take kindly to being interrupted. “Ithaka, Mircalla, Veriyar, and Iywei. Their propaganda broadcasts use the same frequency, and the same messages that’re shown to the Troopers, most of the time. But even if it wasn’t the same…well.” He’s got a steely glint in his eyes. “If we’re going to take down the First Order, we might as well cut off every means of support and manpower and control they’ve got.”</p><p>“And if we’re wrestling control back of planets under the First Order’s rule,” Velle says, “then we must fight to liberate Artorias as well — to free them from the iron grip of the Last Resort. The New Republic fleet can help us chase the First Order off these planets for good.”</p><p>“And blast them out of the sky while they’re at it,” Ffion adds.</p><p>“Damn straight,” Lando and Jannah say at the same time.</p><p>The corner of Leia’s mouth twitches. “These plans aren’t foolproof,” she says, “and the odds, as always, are against us. I won’t lie about that. But if we can find a way to combine these plans together, combine them into an assault that will scramble the First Order entirely…” She smiles. “I think we’ll have a chance to prevail.”</p><p>“That’s all we need,” Rey says. “A chance.”</p><p>“Not a chance,” Leia corrects. “A spark. We need a spark. And this Resistance is the spark that will light the fire that will burn the First Order down.” She leans forward, pressing her palms flat against the table. “So. Let’s get burning.”</p><hr/><p>The converted control room on the <em> Supremacy </em>is dimly lit, except for a pool of yellowing light at the far end, where Kylo Ren sits. To think how many times he’d been in here before, pleading on his knees in front of his master’s throne — but no matter. All that time, Snoke had been holding him back, keeping him from unlocking his full potential. Kylo Ren is the Supreme Leader now, and he takes great pleasure in watching his subordinates (though only holograms) quiver before him.</p><p>“The loss of General Hux,” he says, “was unexpected, but great.” His voice does not shake, or go small, and he remains straight-backed, his gaze unwavering. Only the tightness in his chest belies the coolness he projects. “But we must move on, and move on we have. General Asric.”</p><p>General Tara Asric straightens infinitesimally, her gaze almost as unwavering and unreadable as his own. He’d killed Hux’s second in command when he’d given him the news, so Asric had to be promoted to Hux’s position instead. “Supreme Leader,” she says, her voice a low, intelligent purr. “I vow that I shall do better than my predecessor.”</p><p>Kylo Ren does not answer; with a wave of his hand, he dismisses her, and her posture relaxes ever so slightly. “General Hux was killed by one of our own,” he continues. “And I am sure the new leader of the Stormtrooper regiment will do better than his successor as well.”</p><p>FN-2199 nods. Clad in the chrome-plated armor that Phasma had cast aside when she’d disappeared, he looks more like a child playing dress-up than the impressive soldier that Phasma had always looked to be. But he’s loyal to the First Order, almost fanatically so, and despises FN-2187 almost as much as Kylo Ren does. And he <em> had </em> contributed to the deaths of many fleeing traitor Stormtroopers on the <em> Finalizer </em>all those months ago. He’ll do. “I will, Supreme Leader.”</p><p>“Supreme Leader,” says Colonel Datoo. He gulps noticeably when he sees Kylo Ren’s hand twitch. “What of the Resistance? They have liberated our labor camps on Kes Shiba and Yar Wren, and our intelligence indicates they are planning to strike back, and strike hard.”</p><p>“The labor camps are of no consequence,” Kylo Ren says, as he imagines his grandfather would have said something similar. “Let the Resistance deal with yet another influx of refugees — their bleeding hearts will be their doom soon enough.”</p><p>“But Supreme Leader, what if—”</p><p><em> “If </em> they get the courage to strike against us,” Kylo Ren says, sharp, “then on their own heads be it. They lack manpower and weapons, both of which we have plenty. They’ll be destroyed before they even fire their first missile.”</p><p>No one speaks up or dissents, or even breathes loudly. Kylo Ren is pleased by that.</p><p>“However,” Kylo Ren muses. “If we were to attack <em> them, </em>the odds would be fully in our favor, and we could stamp out the rebel scum once and for all.” He’d avoided raining down fire and fury on D’Qar for the last six months to focus on his training, to research how best to harness the power of the Dark Side that now swirled within him, but to end this war and take full control of the Force, he sees no other choice. “General Asric.”</p><p>“Supreme Leader?”</p><p>“Ready your troops, at my command, to attack D’Qar,” Kylo Ren says. After all, he has one more thing he must do before joining the fray, and getting revenge on the scavenger girl and the Stormtrooper and his Force-damned uncle as well. Why waste his time ordering an attack (or joining in) when he isn’t at his full power? “Captain Nines.”</p><p>FN-2199 salutes. “Yes, Supreme Leader.”</p><p>Kylo Ren fights the urge to roll his eyes. “You will report to the <em> Messenger, </em>and oversee their security and propaganda,” he says. “Your experience with…taking care of rebellious Troopers shall no doubt prove invaluable.”</p><p>The unspoken <em> and you know what will happen to you if you fail to kill any insurgency </em>hits home, for FN-2199 straightens even more. The cape signifying his rank (a red as deep as blood) flutters behind him in the breeze from the hall. “Yes, Supreme Leader.”</p><p>Kylo Ren sits back, his hands flexing on the arms of the throne. “Good,” he says. “Dismissed.”</p><p>Colonel Datoo, FN-2199, and the other holograms disappear, leaving only Asric. “Supreme Leader,” she says. “What of the Last Resort? My troops only await your command to implement the order further.”</p><p>“The Resistance must be crushed first,” Kylo Ren says, firmly. He can hear Hux in his head cursing that decision, but he’s the Supreme Leader now. His word and orders are law, no matter how much they are driven by his own desire for revenge. “Ready your troops to attack the New Republic and implement the Last Resort after the Resistance is destroyed.”</p><p>“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Asric says, and her hologram disappears just like the others.</p><p><em> Kylo Ren, </em> whispers a voice, sending chills down his spine. The room spins away — images flash before his eyes, quicksilver, tinged red. Glowing stalactites and stalagmites, rimmed with frost. A crumbling castle. Ash in the air. The same voice, cool and almost soothing: <em> Have you forgotten? </em></p><p>Kylo Ren rises from his throne and heads for the door, which slams open with another wave of his hand. The Troopers framing the hallway salute in perfect unison; he’s trained them well. An officer at the end of the hall, just in front of the main doors to the <em>Supremacy</em> hangar, stands tall. “What are your orders, Supreme Leader?”</p><p>Kylo Ren almost laughs. Truly, he should have killed his master <em> years </em>ago. “Get me a ship,” he says. “I have business on Ilum.”</p><p>
  <em> The Knights of Ren await me. </em>
</p><hr/><p>“At the heart of every Jedi lightsaber is a kyber crystal,” Luke says to Rey and Finn, once the meeting has ended. They're sitting on the hill just outside the main tarmac, watching the hustle and bustle of the ships and X-Wings getting ready to take off down below. “There used to be hundreds of places to find them, but now they’re rare. And they’re all in one place: the Crystal Caves of Ilum.”</p><p>“Have you been there before?”</p><p>“Once,” Luke says. “When I had to craft my own lightsaber, years ago. The Force is powerful there; I had to pass through visions and voices, my deepest fears, my heart’s desire. The caves have crumbled since then, from war and time, but the crystals are still there. I’ll help you harvest them, and help you channel the energy to fashion them into the lightsabers.”</p><p>“The energy?” Rey hopes she doesn’t look as disappointed as she feels. “We don’t actually get to craft the lightsabers ourselves?” <em> If that’s the case I might actually prefer to fight Ren with my staff. </em></p><p>“You do, and you don’t.” Luke still looks patient, even in the face of her and Finn’s obvious confusion. “You’ll bring the parts with you. You’ll arrange them as you see fit — into a classic mold like mine, into dual blades, into whatever you want. But you need to channel the Force into the kyber crystal that calls to you for the parts you’ve put together to become a real lightsaber.”</p><p>Rey bites her lip. “Luke,” she says, because even after six months of knowing Luke Skywalker, she can’t bring herself to call him <em> Father </em> yet. Or <em> Dad, </em> or anything, even though she knows how much he’d like that. (Unlike Finn, who’d jumped straight into calling Velle <em> Mom </em>like they’d never been apart at all.) “Do you think…we’ll be able to face Kylo Ren, once we’ve got our lightsabers?”</p><p>Luke doesn’t look surprised by the question. In fact, he looks mostly sad. Rey hopes against hope he’ll be able to give her the reassurance that Finn had given her a thousand times — that once she reaches the crystals, or faces Ren again, she’ll be able to push away the darkness that had called to her. That she’ll be a Jedi, a wielder of the Light, like her father before her.</p><p>But before he can say anything at all, a piercing siren goes off, and Rey jumps to her feet, Luke and Finn a second behind her. There’s a ship in the sky above them, and while that wouldn’t be a shock under normal circumstances, given the amount of refugees and runaway Stormtroopers D’Qar has seen over the last six months, this feels different. The Force feels…unsteady. Like it doesn’t know what to make of the chrome-plated X-Wing above them any more than Rey does.</p><p><em> “This is Captain Phasma of the First Order,” </em> comes the voice from above. <em> “I surrender fully to the Resistance.” </em></p><p>Rey and Finn’s jaws drop at the exact same time.</p><p>
  <em> What the kriffing hell is going on? </em>
</p><hr/><p>They’d taken the captain to the same interrogation room they’d held Dopheld Mitaka in not so long ago, but they hadn’t handcuffed her, or tied her to a chair. Instead, Captain Phasma sits down in that same chair of her own volition, and watches Leia as closely as Leia is watching her. She’s younger than Leia had thought; maybe a few years older than…than Kylo Ren. Her hair is golden, cropped short, and her eyes are a sharp, intelligent blue. She’s much taller than Leia, and looks stronger as well, but Leia has no doubt she’ll be able to take on the captain — and intimidate her — if necessary. </p><p>“Captain Phasma of the First Order,” she says.</p><p>“General Organa of the Resistance.” Phasma’s head tilts to the side, just slightly. Inexplicably, the action reminds Leia of Han. “Have you heard of me?”</p><p>“I have.” <em> Finn in particular has warned me all about you. </em>“Which is why you can imagine I’m a little surprised you want to surrender.”</p><p>Surprisingly, Phasma smiles. “Do you believe people can’t change, General?”</p><p>“Not without warning,” Leia says. “Or proof.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Why surrender now, so close to the end of the war?”</p><p>“You believe the war is that close to ending?” Phasma’s laugh is without humor. “If that’s the case, General, you’re more naive than I thought you were.”</p><p>“You don’t know what the Resistance has in store for the First Order, Captain.”</p><p>“And you don’t know what the First Order has in store for the Resistance,” Phasma says, not unkindly. “That’s why I’ve come.”</p><p>“I find it hard to believe you care about the Resistance.”</p><p>That, more than anything, seems to hit a nerve. “I care about my troops,” Phasma snaps. “They were…compromised.” Despite her awkwardness immediately after the words had left her mouth, Phasma’s eyes remain locked on Leia’s. “General Hux ordered the termination of the Young Cadets, General. Children who had never heard of FN-2187 nor dreamed of defection to the Resistance. I do not harm the innocent.” </p><p>Leia snorts. “Since when?”</p><p>“Since my troops became the innocent ones.”</p><p>“And then you suddenly decided to care?”</p><p>“Yes.” Phasma’s voice goes quiet. “Suddenly it…it became real to me. Everything I had spent my entire life trying not to think about, it all became real.” She takes a long breath in and lets it out slowly. “Every time I killed for the First Order — civilians, hostiles, men, women and children — I told myself it was all for a cause I believed in. A cause that was worth it. But I stopped believing in the cause long ago. General Hux’s order just opened my eyes to the truth.”</p><p><em> Opinions tend to change once they’ve got skin in the game, </em>Leia remembers. “So I take it you didn’t complete Hux’s order.”</p><p>“No,” Phasma says. “I shot him in the head.”</p><p>Leia blinks. “I see.”</p><p>“I’m glad you do.” Phasma scrubs a hand down her face. She looks older now, exhausted. Less like a soldier, and more like a young woman who’s seen and done too much in her life. “I’d like to strike a deal with you, General.”</p><p>Leia’s brows arch. “Is that so?”</p><p>“Yes.” Phasma stands slowly, and walks forward until she is in front of Leia, towering over her. Leia does not flinch — but she does give an imperceptible twist of her hand to let the people on the other side of the mirror know that she can handle this herself. “I understand the rules of war. I understand that you are obligated to lock me away, put me with the other prisoners of war. Put me on trial, to answer for my crimes.”</p><p>Leia does not look away. “That’s right.”</p><p>“I have information for you,” Phasma says. “About what the First Order is planning. About our — their ships, their Troopers, their weapons, their schedules, their security. I will tell the Resistance all I know. And in exchange, I want to join the Resistance, and fight by their — <em> your </em>side, until the First Order falls.” She breathes out. “Then, and only then, will I consent to being put on trial.”</p><p>It’s a good deal. A <em> damn </em>good deal. And yet… “And if I refuse?”</p><p>“I’ll disappear,” Phasma says bluntly. “And kill anyone that tries to follow me.” Her mouth curves. “One doesn’t get to become commander of the Stormtroopers without learning a trick or two about melting away into the shadows.” She holds out her hand. “Do we have a deal, General?”</p><p>Leia considers. Weighs the pros and the cons. And even though she’s sure there are at least a few people screaming <em> NO </em> on the other side of the mirror, she accepts Phasma’s hand and shakes it. “We have a deal, Captain,” she says. Her grip tightens. “And I’m sure you’re aware what will happen if you go back on your end.” <em> I’ve learned a trick or two about making people disappear myself. </em></p><p>Phasma nods. There’s something in her eyes that might be respect. “I’m aware.”</p><p>“Good,” Leia says, and lets go. “Welcome aboard.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry for the delay, you guys - between writer's block, the start of the school year, getting a new job, and contracting the coronavirus (Not Fun), I haven't had the most productive last few months, writing-wise, but I'm back now!</p><p>Stay tuned for Chapter IV, in which Finn confronts Phasma, Leia makes a final plea, the Knights of Ren appear, and the Resistance plans for the war ahead.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A hundred apologies for the lengthy delay in getting this posted. For those of you still with me, I hope you continue to enjoy this story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Kylo Ren dreams.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The others have been waiting for him: Kisa Ren’s blue eyes shine bright, maniacally fervent, through the darkness from under her hood, and Krel Ren’s montrals twitch at the sight of him. Waiting for too long, now. He can admit that he has neglected and forgotten about the Knights of Ren since first rising to power, the same way Snoke had once the First Order had grown beyond his former master’s wildest dreams.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No more will he ignore them. They are to be his allies, now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Long live the Supreme Leader,” croaks Kavi Ren. The other Knights echo this, barely louder than a breath. “We thought...you may have forgotten...about us.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kylo Ren bristles. “No,” he says. “I have not.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“We have heard...that before,” rasps Kyzu Ren. All four of her Sith-gold eyes bore into Kylo Ren, driving into his very soul like daggers. He tries not to flinch. “Before Supreme Leader Snoke drained...our Force energy...for his own benefit.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“And left us,” hisses Kroi Ren. Their eyes narrow — were they not as corporeal as Kylo Ren currently is, he’d be worried they’d try to go for the throat. “And elevated you, the blood of the Light, while...we were cast aside. And faded into nothing...but dust and dream.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kylo Ren straightens up. “You can trust me,” he says, low and smooth the way he imagines his grandfather had talked to his allies, to those he wanted to use. “I was one of you. I went through the trials, and the training, just as you did before me. I </span>
  </em>
  <span>killed </span>
  <em>
    <span>Snoke, for using me — just as he used you all.” He makes eye contact with all of them: Kyzu, Kiva, Kavi, Kroi, and Krel. “And I will get you your Force powers back. Make you as real and solid as I am, and free to wreak all the havoc you want on those who have wronged you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kisa Ren bares her teeth. Krel Ren gives a strange, raspy cackle. The others all stare at him, desperate, pathetic hope coming off them in waves. Fools.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Meet me at the Place of the Final Trial in two days’ time,” Kylo Ren says. “When I return from Ilum, I will have for you everything you desire.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he thinks, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I will gain everything I desire in turn.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“FN-2187.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn doesn’t flinch, but it’s a near thing. She doesn’t hold any power over him anymore — but even though her expression is worn, and her blond hair is greasy and tousled, and she wears no armor, and her hands are handcuffed to the table, she still holds herself like the fearsome Stormtrooper Captain that had once controlled every aspect of his life. “The name is Finn,” he says. “Finn Solbourne.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phasma nods. “The Artorian senator’s son,” she says. Finn blinks, taken aback, and Phasma rolls her eyes. “Don’t look so surprised. We had all of your biological information in your file. Your family history, where you were born. We had to know who you were, before we made you into who we wanted you to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn knows he should say what he needs to say and get out, but something in Phasma’s eyes gives him pause. “What was your name?” he says. “Before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phasma. Always Phasma.” The barest curve of a smile. “The one favor the First Order ever granted me. Keeping my name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grinds his teeth, looks away. Screw this. He never should have come here — not when he and Rey and Luke are set to leave for Ilum in the morning, not when there’s still training to be done. Not when his friends are set to leave for their own dangerous missions that they might not all return from. He won’t let them leave without saying goodbye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a Jedi now, aren’t you,” Phasma says abruptly, before Finn can turn away. “I’ve heard the stories.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Rey and me.” Finn lifts his chin. “Guess twenty-three rotations of making me into who you wanted me to be didn’t work out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phasma doesn’t look angered by the words; in fact, all the fight seems to leave her at once, but her voice is still as controlled and sharp as ever. “We never could make you into who we wanted you to be, FN-2187,” she says. “You’ve been foiling the First Order’s plans for you for years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I defected.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not just that,” Phasma says, and Finn’s brow furrows. What the hell did that mean? “You were never meant to succeed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To succeed at what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The plan to take down the Resistance, and infiltrate it from inside.” Phasma’s eyes are boring into him, and it takes everything he has to maintain eye contact. “General Hux rigged your ship to crash-land once it got to the Ileenium System. He assumed that if a Stormtrooper crash-landed on the Resistance base, the Resistance would take it as an act of war, and strike back — and be swiftly defeated. But you lived, and ruined our plans. And then you ruined them further by defecting loudly and publicly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn feels like his entire world has turned upside down and inside out. “You said you wanted me for the mission because I was brave,” he manages. “Loyal, strong. Dutiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We knew the Resistance would do their research on you when they pulled you from the crash,” Phasma says. “Why would the best and brightest of our Stormtroopers land on D’Qar, if not to mount an attack? What if more of you were coming? We’d hoped it would spur them to be brash, and attack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I lived.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you lived,” Phasma agrees. “And became a thorn in the First Order’s side that out-rivalled any threat posed by the Resistance. Is it any wonder the Stormtroopers believed your story, when they first heard it? No matter what propaganda we fed them, they didn’t all buy it. Not all the way. They knew you were one of them.” Her lips twist. “And if you could do it, why couldn’t they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn’s heart is pounding against his ribs hard enough to shatter bone, loud enough that Phasma can surely hear it. They had never intended for him to live. That had been why they’d been so surprised when he’d lived, and even more infuriated when he’d defected anyway. Despite everything, he’d risen from the ashes and shaken off the First Order’s plans for him. He’d managed to find and choose his own destiny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard my story,” he says at last, figuring he might as well ask the question that had been on his mind since she’d arrived. “And Slip and Zeroes’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were a Stormtrooper too,” Finn says. “You’ve got your own story. And you want to take down the First Order just as much as we do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hearing a question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn sighs. “We’re going to infiltrate the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Messenger, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and share our stories with everyone during the Morning Speeches,” he says. The corner of his mouth quirks up. “Do you want to help us take down the First Order from the inside?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phasma studies him for a moment, like she can see right through him and isn’t sure what she thinks of the inside. Then she tilts her head, and gives a small smile. She almost looks…impressed. Proud of him. Had it been a year ago, this moment would have made Finn’s life. “Yes, Finn Solbourne,” she says. “I rather think I do.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“That should be everything,” Kaydel announces. She hands over the last box to Paige, who stands on her tiptoes and stows it in the overhead compartment. “Who’d have thought infiltrating the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Messenger </span>
  </em>
  <span>would take this much equipment?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better safe than sorry,” Paige says with a shrug. “Anyway, Rose’s the one who’s gonna be handling most of it. I’m just the getaway pilot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t Pava and Karé getaway pilots too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ll be surveying the planets we’re trying to get a mutiny going on,” Paige corrects. “More lookouts than getaway pilots. But we’ll all be on the same ship, and we’ll keep one eye on Poe and Rose and the others and one hand on the gearshift the whole time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When are you heading out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First thing in the morning.” Paige tries not to frown about it. She’d barely gotten to spend any time with her best friend in the last six months, which had been taken up by mission after mission. She understands the cause, and she’s more than willing to fight for it — especially so after her and Rose’s parents had joined the growing list of casualties — but she wishes more than anything that she could get a few moments to relax. (Maybe a few days of downtime would be enough for Paige to get up the courage to tell Kaydel how she feels about her.) “Poe’s got one last meeting planned before we leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“General Organa’s got one for the comms officers tonight, and again in the morning,” Kaydel says, her shoulders slumping. “I’ll see if I can get away to see you guys off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will I get a kiss for luck?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air disappears from her lungs as though vanished by the Force when Kaydel turns to look up at her, her head cocked slightly. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A kiss for luck,” Paige manages. She hopes to the Force she isn’t blushing as much as she thinks she is right now. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank fuck Rosie’s not here right now. I might be bold in the sky, but I’m as scared as a mouse on the ground.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Like last time.” She tries for a shrug. “I figured it was our tradition by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaydel’s expression doesn’t change. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Just </span>
  </em>
  <span>for luck?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paige almost chokes on her own tongue. “No,” she croaks. “Uh — not, not if you want — I mean, if you wanted to give me a d-different kind of kiss, that’d…that’d be fine. By me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaydel presses her lips together. After a moment, Paige realizes that she’s trying very hard not to laugh. “You know,” she giggles, “you’re not even a quarter as suave as you think you are, Tico.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never </span>
  <em>
    <span>said </span>
  </em>
  <span>I was suave,” Paige says, startled into laughing herself. Then, cautious: “Do you…like girls that are suave?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll be as suave as Poe after a bottle of black ale if that’s what you want from me. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaydel taps her chin, purses her lips. Paige holds her breath. “Can’t say I do,” she finally says. She moves closer to Paige as she speaks, until they’re just inches apart. Paige’s heart is pounding a staccato against her ribs. Even with her hair a mess and face sweaty from lugging boxes of comms equipment across the base, Paige thinks Kaydel has never looked more beautiful — especially with Kaydel smiling up at her like that, soft but knowing. “Do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like suave girls. Smooth, confident, collected.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paige bites her lip, and the bullet. “I like girls like you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaydel’s smile is like sunshine, and Paige almost collapses from sheer relief. And joy. Pure, unadulterated joy. “I like girls like you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, because Paige’s life can never be good for too long, Snap Wexley comes racing up the ship’s gangplank, clutching the stitch in his side. “Lieutenant Connix,” he says. “General Organa needs to see you — she’s moved up tonight’s meeting to half an hour from now, so the Troopers will have time to record their messages.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paige fights the urge to swear. “Seriously?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snap looks between them, as though he’s just realizing Paige is there too. “Sorry, yeah.” His eyes go wide, and then, with the air of someone hoping desperately that they’ve just come into a ton of money, he says, “Were you…uh, were you in the middle of something?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kind of,” Kaydel says, like she’s torn between laughing at Paige’s disgruntled expression and kicking Snap out of the ship and the hangar to boot. “But I think the important part’s behind us.” To Paige, she says, “I’ll see you later, Paige.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Count on it, Kay, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Paige means to say back, but what comes out instead is the very un-suave “What about the kiss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaydel turns back, smiling at her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Correction, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Paige thinks, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now I’ve never seen anything or anyone more beautiful. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Come back alive, Paige Tico,” she says. “Then we’ll see.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Baby…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t,” Pava groans. She clutches the toilet with both hands, and tries to sink into the feeling of the cool washcloth on the back of her neck, to Karé’s hands on her. She squeezes her eyes shut and takes a shaky breath, praying she won’t vomit again. She doesn’t think she has anything left to bring up. “Don’t want a lecture right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jess, you can’t keep doing this to yourself,” Karé whispers. “If you just told Poe you’re not feeling up for this, I’m sure he’d understand—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not that.” Pava’s knees and heart ache. “I want to help. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need </span>
  </em>
  <span>to help. I gotta...I just gotta get over this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This being…” Karé’s tone is light, as is her touch. Pava slowly leans back on her haunches, and then further back so she’s resting against Karé’s chest. Karé’s chin rests on Pava’s hair. “I’m guessing it’s not morning sickness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That startles a laugh out of her. “Definitely not that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pava breathes in, and then out. If she can’t tell this to Karé, she can’t tell anyone. “They took me there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The First Order. Ren, and Hux. When they captured me on Jakku, they moved me from...from base to base. I spent three days on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Messenger, </span>
  </em>
  <span>locked in a cell and gagged and my hands tied behind my back.” Pava shivers. “It smelled like…like antiseptic. The whole place did. I thought I was going to die there, and then they moved me, and I haven’t thought about the place </span>
  <em>
    <span>once </span>
  </em>
  <span>since I was free, and now </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course </span>
  </em>
  <span>we’re going there, and…” Karé presses the edge of the cooling washcloth to Pava’s face. She hadn’t realized she’d started crying. “I’ve gotta go there, Karé. I need to — I won’t let you all go alone, not when I can fight. Not when I can finally get those First Order bastards out of my head.” <em>And stop being so scared  of them that just the thought of the First Order sends me to the toilet every time.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karé is silent for a long time. “I don’t want to go without you,” she says at last. “But I don’t want to put you through the pain of going back there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine, Karé.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t bullshit me, Jess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never. I’ll be fine. I promise. Just get me there, and I’ll watch your back. We’ll burn the other bridges when we get to them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karé snorts, and Pava thinks — briefly, so briefly — of the ring she’s got wadded up in an pair of her old socks, way in the back of her underwear drawer, and vows that she’ll put it on Karé’s finger as soon as this damned war is over. “I’ll hold you to that, Captain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold me in the meantime. I think I’m going to throw up again.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“My mother was a holofilm director,” Slip says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose glances over at him, so surprised she nearly drops the tiny microphone in her hand. “Really? How do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…Uh, Zeroes and I looked our parents up, a little while ago. Maybe a few months?” Slip shrugs one shoulder. “Zeroes wanted to know more about his mom — not his dad, just her, he already knows too much about his dad — and I wanted to know where I came from, about my family, so…we looked into some databases. My father owned a restaurant, and my mother was a holofilm director. Aspiring, anyway. She only made three films total.” He looks down at his feet, blinking back tears. Rose’s heart aches for him. Her parents are gone too, long gone, but at least she’d known them. Slip had never had any happy family memories. “I watched one of them. It was pretty good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose tries to return the smile he gives her, and tries not to think about what it’d be like to take his hand. “My mother was a codebreaker,” she offers quietly instead. “And my father was a mechanic. I grew up learning codes and tools before I learned how to read.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slip gives a tiny laugh. “You’re good at them,” he says, and then he blushes. “Tools and codes, I mean. A-and lots of other things. You’re talented.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” She bites the inside of her cheek to keep herself from blushing herself. “And you’re a good…well, not an actor, but you’re good on camera.” She nods at the recording apparatuses she and Kaydel and General Organa had set up, to piece the messages together. Finn and Zeroes are waiting in the hall with Black Squadron and Poe and Rey and Captain Phasma, who’s no longer handcuffed but can’t go anywhere without an armored guard. “I think your mom would be proud.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slip grins, sheepish, and Rose grins back, like their emotions are connected by puppet strings. “Let’s hope the other Stormtroopers will buy what I was selling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were you, the whole time,” Rose says, knowing — despite the overwhelming odds — that she’s right. “It worked on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finalizer. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It’ll work for the others too.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“I feel ridiculous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zeroes stares at Finn, uncomprehendingly. He gestures at himself, and then at the cameras, and then at everyone else in the room. “Look, I’m not a speechmaker like you and Slip, and the good captain over there.” He punctuates that statement with a mocking nod at his former commanding officer, who looks like she’s barely refraining from rolling her eyes at him. “Not really, anyway. What am I supposed to say that hasn’t already been said?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s plenty to cover,” Finn tries, but Zeroes is already shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s not. Finn’s the catalyst for all of this — he got the ball rolling. Phasma’s got high-up First Order secrets to share. Slip—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just saying a modified version of what I said before the riot on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finalizer,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Slip says. “A riot </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>planned, by the way. You’re just as important to the cause as the rest of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I don’t have anything of my own to say,” Zeroes says, frustrated. “I can’t talk about Trooper life and family if you already said it first. It’s redundant.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>And you couldn’t get me to talk about my father if you had a blaster to my head. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“There’s nothing for me to say. I don’t want to be a figurehead without a — without a point, or a purpose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn opens his mouth, then closes it, clearly torn between reassuring Zeroes and making a frustrated comment. Slip is looking at the ground, pretending to be fascinated with the tiles, and Phasma is watching the proceedings with a slight frown on her face, like he’s a little kid on the verge of a tantrum. His gaze finds Poe last, and Poe isn’t looking at him either. He’s running his thumbnail back and forth across his lip, lost in thought. No, not lost in thought. Lost in…understanding? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dameron,” Zeroes says, and Poe looks over at him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Come on, flyboy. Please understand what I’m trying to say. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“What do you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poe hesitates. “I think you’re wrong.” All of the fight leaves Zeroes’s body at once, and his shoulders slump. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Figures. Of course he doesn’t get it. Why would he? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I don’t think you’re a figurehead without a purpose. You’ve got something to say that nobody else here does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then again… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Zeroes’s head snaps up. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poe grins, like it’s obvious. “It’s like Slip said,” he says. “You were the one who planned the riot on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finalizer, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and it was your plan that helped us escape with Pava. You’re a strategist, a good one. You get how people think.” Impassioned, he turns to the others. “He’s right, Finn. You’ve got all the topics covered on </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>they should defect, but you haven’t said </span>
  <em>
    <span>how </span>
  </em>
  <span>they’re supposed to defect. Zeroes has to talk about that, and not what’s already been said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Poe’s right,” Finn says with a decisive nod. “We need to give the Troopers a clear exit plan, or they’ll never be able to leave their ships alive. Zeroes, what do you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poe grins at Zeroes, like they just won the war, and it takes everything Zeroes has to keep from smiling back like an idiot. He might not be a Trooper any longer, but it’ll take way more than six months for him to stop keeping what he’s thinking from showing on his face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks, flyboy, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thinks, but what he says instead is, “I’ll see what advice I can come up with.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <span>You must do what you despise for the sake of peace, </span>
  </em>
  <span>her father had once told her, and the words ring as true now as they did then. Leia has always despised politics: the lying, the smooth words, all talk and no walk, no </span>
  <em>
    <span>action. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Still — she may never be as wise as Bail Organa was, but she is willing to go back into the fray she despises so much if it means victory at last. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The remaining members of the Senate all crowd around the biggest conference table on D’Qar, in hologram form. They leave empty spots, glaring spots, for the senators gone in the decimation of the Hosnian System. Leia stands at one end of the table, Velle and Ffion on one side of her and Lando and Jannah on the other. At the other end of the table stands Chancellor Amani Renni, a half Iyra woman with tentacles for arms and sharp purple eyes that crinkle at the corners when she blinks. She’s the former senator of F’tral; Leia’s known her for years, long before the event that shunted her into the top seat. She’s largely unreadable on her best days, which will make convincing her difficult.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Never tell me the odds, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she remembers Han saying, and holds onto the words like jewels, hard and sharp and comforting beneath her skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The five of them take turns outlining what they know, what Phasma has told them, and what the plan is from here on out. Velle speaks the most of the Last Resort, she and Ffion talking about the fallen Wick Mandae and the atrocities currently being committed on Artorias. Lando and Jannah are more forceful when they talk schematics — manpower, weapons, ships — and Leia brings it all home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The New Republic made a decision not to get involved in this fight over a year ago,” Senator Aldrin of Dantooine says, his head held up high. “We knew we were in over our heads then, and no offense meant, Senators, we are in over our heads now even more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re only over our heads if we </span>
  <em>
    <span>think </span>
  </em>
  <span>we are,” Velle says impatiently. “We’ve been sitting frightened long enough — look at all the damage that has been wrought by our inaction! Millions slaughtered, millions more in danger! You cannot bury your hand in the sand forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I find it interesting to be lectured about neutrality by the senator who stuck her own head in the sand after her husband was murdered on Artorian soil.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare </span>
  </em>
  <span>talk about the late senator like that, Aldrin,” Ffion snaps, and Velle looks near apoplectic with rage. “I seem to recall you didn’t leave your condolences until it was politically convenient, so shut your mouth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need to bring the dead into this,” Jannah says impatiently, and everyone shuts up and turns to look at her. Leia bites back a smile. Her niece is a Calrissian-Aboderin through and through. “We need to focus on the living, or we’ll all be joining the dead sooner than you think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The odds won’t be against us any longer if you join us,” Lando says, and places a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Fight by our sides, or just loan us your ships and your auxiliary forces, and we can take care of the rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will have to form committees, gauge interest from our constituents,” argues another senator — Imara Azita of Pantora. “We cannot just jump in the fight. We must deliberate first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Leia slams her hands down on the table and leans forward. “Every second you waste on meaningless deliberations places you another step closer to becoming like the planets in the Hosnian System: nothing but ashes lost to the wind. We have to work together to take back control of the Outer Reaches if there is any hope of taking down the First Order.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hope?” Senator Aldrin repeats disparagingly. “You ask us to join an impossible battle based on the merest of hopes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leia cannot resist. “Why not?” she says. “Rebellions are built on hope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chancellor Renni holds her gaze — and then, to her surprise, looks away. “To a vote it will go,” she says. “All those in favor of staying the course?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several hands go up — maybe twenty or thirty, including Aldrin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And all those in favor of aiding the Resistance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The remaining hands go up. Twenty, thirty, fifty, a hundred. The senators from the planets nearest the Hosnian System look ready to strap on armor and march into battle themselves. And Renni raises one of her tentacle arms as well. “Our grief has blinded us to the danger of our situation for too long,” she says gravely. “Pass the message along to gather your remaining troops. Rally the auxiliary and working battalions. We will work with the Resistance to defeat our mutual enemy once and for all, which in turn will help us rebuild and return to power when the war is over. We will reconvene in an hour to discuss further plans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is a wave of salutes. Then the holograms of the council flicker out and vanish one by one. Renni is the last one remaining, and she folds her arms across her chest as she meets Leia’s eyes once more. “I hope for our sakes that this is the right course of action, Senators.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Velle says. “And you must know it too, otherwise you wouldn’t have voted in our favor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Renni’s purple eyes crinkle. “Perhaps,” she says, and inclines her head before her hologram disappears as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leia lets out a breath she hadn’t even known she’d been holding. Help is on the way, and the missions to Ilum, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Messenger, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the Outer Rims are due to depart first thing in the morning. They have all the chance they need now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leia just hopes that that chance will be enough to see them all through.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Stay tuned for Chapter V, in which sinister tricks are played in the dark, new lightsabers are forged, Luke announces his plans for the future of the Jedi, and Kylo Ren attacks the Crystal Caves of Ilum.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>